Obituaries

Donna Kilen

July 27, 2018

A Celebration of Life for Donna Kilen, 81, of rural Estherville, will be held 10 a.m., Monday, July 30, 2018, at First Christian Church in Estherville with Pastor Doug Burton officiating. Interment will be at Lake Fremont Township Cemetery, Dunnell, Minn. Donna passed away at her home in rural Estherville on July 25, 2018 .

Visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m., Sunday, at the Henry-Olson Funeral Chapel in Estherville.

Donna Rae Kilen, daughter of Jesse "Ray" and Viola (Keeler) Hoffmeyer, was born in Huntington, Iowa on May 20, 1937. She attended Emmet Consolidated School until eighth grade; she then went to work cleaning houses to help support her family. She was married to James A. Kilen at the Minnehaha County Courthouse in 1963. Together they had three children Rick, Jim, and Jill.

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Donna Kilen

Donna worked at many area businesses throughout her life including: A&W, PJ Greys, Wadco's, Berkley's, Univac, Glastite, and Electromold. She then returned to cleaning area homes up until she was diagnosed with cancer. Donna enjoyed working with her hands, doing embroidering projects. She also enjoyed playing cards, completing word searches, gardening, baking, and cooking large family meals; that included making her famous buns, tacos, and salads. Family was very important to Donna, she was a very proud grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved spending time with them. Donna was a member of Estherville Lutheran Church.

She is survived by her children: Rick Kilen and his special friend Connie Moore, Jim "Jimmy" Kilen and his fiance Leanne, and Jill Kilen; her six grandchildren: Josh Kilen, Jessica Reiffer and her husband Shelby, Hollie Sindt, Dustin Kilen and his wife Tracy, Derrick Kilen, and Ciera Kilen; and her six great-grandchildren: Tessa Wolf, Maison and Harper Rieffer, Wyatt Kilen, James Shoemate, and Elizabeth Anderson. She is also survived by her siblings Barbara Cuppy, Bev (Bob) Linden, Mary Holm, Connie (Ken) Iverson, Colleen (Alan) Anderson, Ray (Phyllis) Hoffmeyer, Carl (Sandy) Hoffmeyer, and Tom (Vicki) Hoffmeyer; and very special neighbors Larry and Julie Anderson.

Donna was preceded in death by her parents; her children's father: James A. Kilen; and her siblings Alice Sidles, Nancy Kaneer, John Hoffmeyer, Ed Hoffmeyer, and Marlene Hoffmeyer.